THE DIVINITY OF ALL

There is a terrible and shaming automatism about hatred and violence. We even justify, on high moral grounds, the abuse, condemnation and in the last resort, the slaughter of those who offend us. But may our hearts be open to the reality of others, to their suffering, and to the anguish and the wrongs we impose on their lives and fates by the narrow vindictiveness of our egos.

May we be aware of the inherent divinity of all creatures. May we realise that we insult the holy essence of our own nature whenever we insult, sneer or even feel faint dislike of others. May we be aware that they, however different their colour, language or the superficialities of their creed, are as we are. That the ground of their being is also the ground of ours. That we are not only brothers and sisters. but in a sense are one. That in hurting them we maim ourselves.

But if we honour and love them as ourselves, the machine-like responses of hatred and self-righteous anger will vanish as though they had never been. Then, rejoicing in our full humanity, we may live together in harmony.

Adam Curle